Imvelo Eswatini (Handcrafts)

Imvelo Eswatini was established in 2007 by Manzini Youth Care (MYC), a Salesian, Catholic NGO working with marginalised youth and their families in Swaziland. The Salesian order was established by Saint John Bosco, and it was his mother, Mama Margarita, who was the inspiration behind Imvelo Eswatini. Early widowed, Mama Margarita struggled daily to bring up her own children before going on to support her son in caring for hundreds of orphaned boys. The director of MYC, Fr Larry Mc Donnell, drew a parallel between this remarkable woman and the women in Swaziland. Imvelo Eswatini was developed in consultation with these women and is dedicated to providing flexible work opportunities, paying a fair and sustainable source of income, enabling each woman to provide for her family.

Today, Imvelo Eswatini is a thriving small enterprise working with over 25 women from informal urban settlements who carefully and lovingly craft each accessory by hand. Our women are constantly trained to combine their traditional skills with new techniques, fostering creativity and promoting skill sharing amongst them. Each piece is handcrafted from beginning to end by a woman: through her hands she allows her creations to tell her story, making each accessory uniquely soulful.

Imvelo Eswatini believes in fair trade and the empowerment of their employees and has recently become a member of SWIFT (Swaziland International Fair Trade Association) to show their commitment to the fair trade practices whilst also hoping to raise awareness amongst their customers.

Imvelo Eswatini strives to create products that are beautifully unique therefore no two products are ever the same. Each piece is handcrafted from beginning to end by a woman, and through her hands she allows her creations to tell her story, making each accessory uniquely soulful. The varying colours and shapes embodies and celebrates the very beauty of the handmade process, allowing each product to be as individual as their customer.

Imvelo Latest News

We were happy to be joined by a new Designer and Product Developer from London in May 2012. Michelle, who arrived just in time for Bushﬁre, worked alongside the artisans to design and develop
two brand new collections ‘Wild Lime’ and ‘Damask Rose.’ They received a great response at SARCDA, the design trade fair, held in August 2012 in Jo’burg.

Imvelo participated in a fantastic fashion showcase in support of a Health and Wellness Day for women in Swaziland, organised by Mustard Seed Africa and held at House on Fire in October.

Visit us at our retail store at the Ngwenya Craft Village for a selection of our beautiful products. You can keep up to date with the latest news and products at the Facebook page; facebook,as well as the website.